POPSUGAR Celebrity

Avoid Texting Fails With These Apps

Jul 10 2014 - 1:10pm

Accidents happen, and sometimes texts we hoped would remain private don't necessarily stay that way. Luckily, there are apps out that make sure the photos, texts, and videos sent to one person — sometimes by mistake [1] — don't stick around forever. So, the next time you consider sending a text you probably wouldn't want your father to see, send it via these five privacy-enhancing apps instead, and there's no chance you'll get stuck with some awkward explaining to do.

Confide [2] (free) – Stop worrying about who is looking at messages over your shoulder. Confide makes recipients swipe to reveal what you've written so that they can't take screenshots or have messages seen by nearby prying eyes.

Wikr [3] (free) – This app goes beyond just deleting messages; information sent is actually encrypted and sent over a secure server. If you plan on sending any messages you really want to remain between you and just one other person, this app will keep your information ultrasafe.

Snapchat [4] (free) – Instead of sending a possibly NSFW (or just plain embarrassing) photo over text message (where it can never disappear), use Snapchat [5], the photo and video app that allows you to set a timer for your sent content to be erased.

Slingshot [6] (free) – This Facebook-backed app may seem similar to Snapchat [7], but there's one major difference; to reveal the photo or video that was sent to you, you must send something back. If you and your friends are avid Snapchatters, this app may be the change you all need to keep the photo sharing going.

Frankly [8] (free) – If you've ever wished you could unsend a message after the fact, consider using Frankly instead of your normal texts. The app lets you take back anything you've already sent. From video, to voice, to text messages, you'll be able to delete any message you regret sending (phew).